Piano-action flange.



110199344. PATENTED SEPT. 1.2, 1905. 0. A. LAMBERT.

PIANO ACTION FLANGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29,1905.

M1 6 w g 2/ W/ TNESSES. IN VENTO/x UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

CLAYTON A. LAMBERT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BALDWV INCOMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PIANO-ACTION FLANGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed April 29, 1905. Serial No. 258,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON A. LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-ActionFlanges, of which the following is a full and clear description.

My invention relates to the flanges used in said actions which form thepivotal bearings for the various moving parts and by which said movingparts are secured to the actionrails; and the object of my invention isto provide for this purpose ametal flange adapted to clamp thecenter-pins and hold the parts of the action in position, and at thesame time provide for the expansion and contraction of the wood railsdue to climatic influences, as will be hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a section of a piano-action inwhich my improved flanges are applied. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewshowing one form of my flange. Figs. 3 and i show the blanksvas stampedfrom the sheet metal from which my flanges are formed.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The hammer-rail 1 is of the usual form and construction except that thebearing-faces 2 for the flange 3 are each provided with a V-shapedgroove 1, extendinglongitudinally, which receives the foot-bearing ofthe flange. The flange 3 consists of a plate 5, of spring brass or othermetal, having a narrow middle portion 6 and broad end portions 7 and 8.

The extremity of the end portion 7 is bent laterally at an obtuse angleto form a footbearing 9, which rests in the groove 4 of the action-rail.The end portion 7 is also provided with a short extension 10, extendingtoward the center of the blank on each side of the middle portion 6,which is bent laterally at right angles to form shoulders 11, which reston the edge 12 of the bearing-face 2.

In some instances the end portion 8 is provided with long extensions 13,extending toward the center and parallel with the middle portion 6 toform loops 14,to which the dampersprings 15 are attached when theflanges are applied to the damper-levers 16. The broad end portions ofthe plate are also provided with openings 17 for the screws 18, wherebythe flange is attached to the action-rail.

To form the flange, the plate 5 is bent or doubled upon itself, the endportions becoming opposing members. Adjacent to the angle of the bend 19a bearing 20 for the center-pin 21 is formed in one of the opposingmembers, which thus becomes a bearing member 22, while the oppositemember is a clamping member 23.

It will be seen that either member may become the bearing member byhaving the bearing 20 formed therein. I find, however, that it ispreferable to have the bearing in the member which is held in directcontact with the action-rail, as shown in the drawings.

The extensions 10 are bent laterally at right angles to form shoulders11, which rest on the edge 12 of the bearing-face 2 of the actionrail,while the foot-bearing 9 is bent at an 0btuse angle and rests in thegroove 4: of the action-rail. The flange thus becomes selfseating in itsposition, the shoulders 11 being rigidly held in close contact with theedge 12 of the bearing-face when the foot-bearing 9 is forced into thegroove 1 by the flangescrew 18.

In the application of the flange to the rail the two members aredeflected by the centerpin 21, which rests in the bearing 20. By turningthe flange-screw 18 the members are brought together, which causes theclamping member 23 to hold the pin in its bearing, while at the sametime the flange is held securely to the rail, all displacement of theflange as the screw is tightened being efl'ectively prevented by theshoulders 11 and the foot-bearing 9.

In practice the flange may be modified to suit the requirements, whileat the same time the spirit of the invention is maintained.

I find it best in most instances to bend that portion of the flangeabove the bearing 20 containing the angle of the bend 19 to one side inorder to provide more room on the opposite side for the moving parts ofthe action. In applying the flange to the dampers 16 the extensions 13are bent to form loops 1 1, to which the damper-springs 15 are attached.When the flanges are applied to other parts of the action, the loops 14:are omitted.

In placing the bearing 20 adjacent to the bend 19. I am able to formsaid bearing before the flange is bent, which insures greater certaintyin the true alinement of the bearing and greater regularity in theflanges, also the additional advantage that center-pins of various sizesmay be used to suit the varying conditions of the bushed center-pinholes. A large or small pin may be used in the same flange or large orsmall center-pins substituted without in any way affecting itsefliciency.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentis* 1. The combination with an action-rail of a flange comprising ametal blank bent upon itself to form opposing members, one of saidmembers having a bearing formed therein adjacent to the bend, adapted toreceive a center-pin; and the opposed member acting as a clamping memberupon said bearing member; said flange being provided with means forattachment to said action-rail, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an action-rail of a flange comprising a metalblank bent upon itself to form opposing members, one of said membershaving a bearing formed therein adjacent to the bend adapted to receivea center-pin, and the opposite member acting as a clamping member uponsaid bearing member; said flange having opposed openings in the endportion of the two members for an attaching-screw, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with an action-rail of a flange comprising a metalblank, bent upon itself to form opposing members, one of said membershaving a bearing formed therein adjacent to the bend adapted to receivea centerpin, and the opposite member acting as a clamping member uponsaid bearing member; that portion of said flange containing the angle ofthe bend, being bent to one side; said flange having opposed openings inthe end portion of the two members for an attachingscrew, substantiallyas described.

1. The combination with an action-rail of a flange comprising a metalblank, having a narrow middle portion and broad end portions, bent uponitself to form opposing members, one of said members having a bearingformed in the narrow portion thereof adjacent to the bend, adapted toreceive a center-pin, and the opposite member acting as a clampingmember upon said bearing member; the broad ends of the opposing membershaving openings therein for an attaching-screw, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with an action-rail, having a longitudinal V-shapedgroove therein, of a flange comprising a metal blank, having a narrowmiddle portion and broad end portions, bent upon itself to form opposingmembers; one of said members having a bearing formed therein adjacent tothe bend, adapted to receive a center-pin, and the opposite memberacting as a clamping member upon said bearing member; said bearingmember having the free end of the broad portion thereof bent laterallyat an obtuse angle to form a foot-bearing to rest in said groove in saidaction-rail; the opposite end of said broad portion having an extensionon each side of said narrow portion, bent laterally at right angles toform shoulders which rest on the edge of the flange-bearing face of saidaction-rail; said flange having opposed openings in the broad portion ofthe two members for an attachingscrew, which clamps the members andsecures the flange upon its seat on the action-rail, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with an action-rail 1, having a longitudinal\l-shaped groove 1 therein, of a flange 3 comprising a metal blank 5,having a narrow middle portion 6 and broad end portions 7 and 8 bentupon itself to form opposing members 22 and 23; the member 22 having abearing 20 formed therein adjacent to the bend 19, adaptedto receive acenter-pin 21, and the member 23 acting as a clamping member upon thebearing member; said bearing member 22 havingthe free end of the broadportion 7 thereof bent laterally at an obtuse angle to form afoot-bearing 9 to rest in the groove 1 in said actionrail; the oppositeend of said broad portion 7 having an extension 10 on each side of saidnarrow portion bent laterally at right angles to form shoulders 11,which rest upon the edge of the bearing-face 2; said clamping members 23having an extension from the broad portion 8 thereof on each side of thenarrow portion 6 to form loops la adapted to hold a damper-spring, saidflange having opposed openings 17 in the end portion of the two members22 and 13 for an attaching-screw 18, which clamps the two members andsecures them in position on said action-rail, substantially asdescribed.

OLA YTON A. LAMBERT.

BLINN, Mac

